Reproduction and Social Organization in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa has experienced both an increase in population growth rates and a weakening of traditional patterns of child-spacing since the 1960s, but this book argues that a socioeconomic threshold hypothesis will not provide an adequate basis for comparison. It links the characteristic features of the African reproductive regime with other African characteristics of social organization and culture, and pays attention to the heterogeneity among sub-Saharan societies.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 570 pages
Publication date: 19 August 2022
Publisher: University of California Press

Sub-Saharan Africa stands apart from most Asian and Latin American countries in its experience of both increased population growth rates and a decline in traditional child-spacing patterns since the 1960s. It is easy to assume that these countries have not yet achieved sufficient levels of income, education, and urbanization to witness a fertility decline. However, this book challenges that notion by arguing that a socioeconomic threshold hypothesis alone cannot provide a comprehensive basis for comparison.

The authors in this text take a holistic approach, recognizing that any reproductive regime is intricately linked to a broader social organization encompassing various aspects such as modes of production, exchange rules, religious systems, kinship structures, division of labor, and gender roles. They draw connections between the distinctive features of the African reproductive regime, including nuptiality, polygyny, breastfeeding, postpartum abstinence, sterility, and child-fostering, and other unique characteristics of African social organization and culture.

Substantial attention is given to the diversity within sub-Saharan societies, leading to the use of interethnic comparisons to enhance understanding. This book goes beyond mere demographic description and strives to bridge the gap between demography and anthropology or sociology.

This title is part of UC Press' Voices Revived program, which celebrates the University of California Press' commitment to discovering and nurturing exceptional minds, providing them with a platform to express their ideas, reach a wider audience, and have a significant impact. By resurrecting titles from the past, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again through print-on-demand technology. This particular title was first published in 1989.

Weight: 816g
Dimension: 234 x 156 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520335448